CVE-2025-30329: Adobe Animate NULL Pointer DOS Vulnerability

CVE-2025-30329 Overview

CVE-2025-30329 is a NULL pointer dereference vulnerability [CWE-476] affecting Adobe Animate versions 24.0.8, 23.0.11, and earlier. The flaw allows an attacker to crash the application, resulting in a local denial-of-service condition. Successful exploitation requires user interaction: a victim must open a malicious file crafted to trigger the dereference. The vulnerability does not expose data or allow code execution, but it disrupts the availability of the Animate application on affected Windows and macOS systems.

Critical Impact
A crafted Animate project file can terminate the application on the victim's workstation, disrupting design and animation workflows until the process is restarted.

Affected Products

Adobe Animate 24.0.8 and earlier
Adobe Animate 23.0.11 and earlier
Microsoft Windows and Apple macOS installations of the affected Animate releases

Discovery Timeline

2025-05-13 - CVE-2025-30329 published to the National Vulnerability Database
2025-05-13 - Adobe publishes Security Advisory APSB25-42 with fixed versions
2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-30329

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability is a NULL pointer dereference [CWE-476] within Adobe Animate's file parsing logic. When Animate processes a malformed input file, a code path fails to validate a pointer before dereferencing it. The resulting access to a NULL memory address triggers an unhandled exception, and the application terminates. The impact is limited to availability. Confidentiality and integrity are not affected, and the attacker gains no code execution or elevated privileges from the crash.

The attack vector is local. The attacker must deliver a malicious project or asset file to the victim through email, shared storage, download links, or collaboration platforms. The victim must then open the file inside Adobe Animate for the crash to occur.

Root Cause

The root cause is missing pointer validation in a parser routine that handles attacker-controlled file content. When a required object, structure, or resource is not returned by an upstream allocation or lookup, the code proceeds to read or write through the NULL pointer instead of failing safely. Refer to Adobe Security Advisory APSB25-42 for vendor-confirmed technical scope.

Attack Vector

Exploitation requires local file access and user interaction. An attacker crafts a malicious Animate-compatible file, distributes it to a target user, and relies on the user to open it in a vulnerable Animate build. On execution of the parsing path, the application dereferences the NULL pointer and crashes. Repeated exploitation can prevent users from working with legitimate files if the malicious content is embedded in a shared asset pipeline.

// No verified proof-of-concept code is available for CVE-2025-30329.
// See Adobe Security Advisory APSB25-42 for vendor-confirmed technical details.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-30329

Indicators of Compromise

Unexpected termination of Animate.exe (Windows) or the Animate process (macOS) shortly after a user opens a project or asset file.
Windows Application event log entries showing access violations or faulting module records tied to the Animate process.
Presence of unsolicited Animate project files (.fla, .xfl) delivered via email attachments, chat, or external file shares.

Detection Strategies

Monitor endpoint telemetry for repeated crash events involving the Animate process, particularly correlated with file-open activity.
Inspect email and web gateways for inbound Animate project files from untrusted senders and quarantine for review.
Correlate file download events with subsequent Animate process launches and abnormal exits on the same host.

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable crash reporting on endpoints running Adobe Animate and forward Windows Error Reporting or macOS crash logs to a central log store.
Track Adobe Animate version inventory across managed endpoints to identify hosts still running 24.0.8, 23.0.11, or earlier.
Alert on Animate process terminations that occur within seconds of opening a file sourced from an external location.

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-30329

Immediate Actions Required

Upgrade Adobe Animate to the fixed versions listed in Adobe Security Advisory APSB25-42.
Inventory all Windows and macOS endpoints running Adobe Animate and prioritize patching for users who routinely open externally sourced project files.
Instruct users to open Animate files only from trusted sources until patching is complete.

Patch Information

Adobe released fixed builds through the Creative Cloud desktop application. Administrators should push the update via Adobe Admin Console or allow the Creative Cloud client to install the current Animate release. See Adobe Security Advisory APSB25-42 for exact fixed version numbers and update guidance.

Workarounds

Block or quarantine Animate project files (.fla, .xfl) received from untrusted external senders at the email gateway.
Restrict Animate to opening files stored in vetted internal repositories until the patch is deployed.
Use application allowlisting and file provenance controls to reduce the risk of users opening attacker-supplied files.

bash

# Example: enumerate installed Adobe Animate version on Windows endpoints
reg query "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Adobe\Animate" /s | findstr /I "Version"

# Example: enumerate installed Adobe Animate version on macOS endpoints
defaults read "/Applications/Adobe Animate 2024/Adobe Animate 2024.app/Contents/Info.plist" CFBundleShortVersionString